Exactly. There is a 0% chance we are beating Miami under any circumstances. Indiana though, especially if they have a little injury trouble, there is at least a chance. A small chance, but a chance none the less.

I think its also most likely that Miami finishes with the #1 seed, so if we can keep it up, Indy very likely a round 2 opponent.

I don't think it's impossible. It wouldn't even take a major injury. A few (unlikely) things would need to happen in the playoffs for us to beat Miami.

A- Lowry would need to play at his highest level to cause a matchup problem that would require them to put james on him for a bit. He would also need to bother their PG's constantly on defense, forcing miami to use Wade and James to be the ball-handlers more often.

B- Demar would need to go at wade, and make his shots. In the post, off the drive, catch and shoot off screens- and get him into foul trouble. He would also need to play at least average defense on him. His athleticism has always given him potential to play good defense, he'd need to utilize some of it.

C- Ross needs to play his best defense on James. And he needs to keep moving- we saw how it tired james out to run through screens chasing ross when the Heat played us earlier in the year. James can do it, but over a seven-game series?

D- 2-Pat and Amir need to do what they do best. Patterson needs to make them defend the pick-and-pop, forcing the Heat to not be able to trap so aggressively. And Amir needs to fight for boards, create chances, and anchor the defense.

E- JV needs to play at the high level we've seen flashes of at a consistent level. Force the heat to pay for going big. Gobble up rebounds, make himself a problem in the post, and keep the damn ball high.

In addition to this, Casey would have to be smart with his rotations, use his timeouts properly, and use more variation on offense. If all this happens, we'd have a shot.

I don't think it's impossible. It wouldn't even take a major injury. A few (unlikely) things would need to happen in the playoffs for us to beat Miami.

A- Lowry would need to play at his highest level to cause a matchup problem that would require them to put james on him for a bit. He would also need to bother their PG's constantly on defense, forcing miami to use Wade and James to be the ball-handlers more often.

B- Demar would need to go at wade, and make his shots. In the post, off the drive, catch and shoot off screens- and get him into foul trouble. He would also need to play at least average defense on him. His athleticism has always given him potential to play good defense, he'd need to utilize some of it.

C- Ross needs to play his best defense on James. And he needs to keep moving- we saw how it tired james out to run through screens chasing ross when the Heat played us earlier in the year. James can do it, but over a seven-game series?

D- 2-Pat and Amir need to do what they do best. Patterson needs to make them defend the pick-and-pop, forcing the Heat to not be able to trap so aggressively. And Amir needs to fight for boards, create chances, and anchor the defense.

E- JV needs to play at the high level we've seen flashes of at a consistent level. Force the heat to pay for going big. Gobble up rebounds, make himself a problem in the post, and keep the damn ball high.

In addition to this, Casey would have to be smart with his rotations, use his timeouts properly, and use more variation on offense. If all this happens, we'd have a shot.

That's a lot of needs @TSF. Basically the stars would have to align and we'd need to play perfect ball, I don't see it happening..

Ideal first round match up is either Washington or Atlanta. If we get by.
Need to play Miami in round 2 .. and Wade has to be hobbled. Lebron will get his and more. But we have enough of a supporting cast to hold Bosh and Allen to negligiable status. Indy is scary as they have a big physical front line which we seem to struggle with.

Ideal first round match up is either Washington or Atlanta. If we get by.
Need to play Miami in round 2 .. and Wade has to be hobbled. Lebron will get his and more. But we have enough of a supporting cast to hold Bosh and Allen to negligiable status. Indy is scary as they have a big physical front line which we seem to struggle with.

Haven't we split the season series with Indiana though? I think we match up much better with them than we do with Miami. I could be wrong but I don't think our record agains Miami during the LeBron era has been very good.

Haven't we split the season series with Indiana though? I think we match up much better with them than we do with Miami. I could be wrong but I don't think our record agains Miami during the LeBron era has been very good.

They are 0-13. Get to play them one more time before the end of the season though

I definitely agree with the sentiment that we'd do better against Indiana than Miami; I think we could take Indiana to 6 or 7, while Miami would probably be 5 or 6. Even 4. That said, the great unknown about this team is how they'll play over a 7 game series. For that matter, will Casey be able to really exert his defensive expertise over a 7 game series and shut down key opponents? I do feel like we're at the minimum, one backup center away from having even a remote shot at knocking off either of those top two.

One, experience. There is no significant experience by any of the Raptors' key players - Ross, DeRozan, JV with absolutely NO experience in the post-season.

Two, a consistent, productive, and elite power-forward/small-forward. I like Amir and 2Pat, but the problem is, they're both better coming off the bench - providing strong rebounding, energy, 2Pat's stretch shooting, Amir's ability in the pick-&-roll. But, there needs to be a guy who can demand - at times - double teams or intense defensive attention, at the very least near to the defensive attention DeMar attracts. Otherwise, it's going to be tough in the half-court for the Raptors when teams will just clog the paint on DeMar, asking Lowry to penetrate or make things happen out of nothing constantly, and making JV try to make plays in the low-post all the time - he's just not there yet. Unless the Raptors can continue to hit tons of threes (isn't happening in the playoffs), and get up-&-down (also scarce in the playoffs), they will not get there without another elite or borderline all-star talent. This'll be acquired by trade, free agency, or internal growth.

Three, luck. Indiana and Miami are too deep and talented for the Raptors. They will have to rely on injuries or poor performances, and they will actually have to take advantage of it in order to get anywhere near there. Memphis was lucky last playoffs with the Westbrook injury, otherwise we would have seen OKC/Spurs and possibly a repeat finals.

So. There is a lot for the Raptors to accomplish/do in order to get to the ECF.

I think it's a mistake to even consider the second round when we're looking at a VERY challenging first round. Regardless of who we end up facing (Chicago, Brooklyn, Washington, Charlotte) we are in for a grueling 6- or 7-game slugfest that we may not even win. I outright don't think we can win a series against either Chicago or Charlotte. Questions about the 2nd round, let alone the ECF, are incredibly premature.

Agree 100%. We match up with them pretty well. I think in a 7 games series we'd go neck and neck with them.

You think a team with 2 sophomores in the starting line up and a bunch of guys that have never been to the play offs stand a chance against the Pacers?! Are you kidding me?

Just look at how the raptors bitch and complain about calls now, in the playoffs against the pacers I'm not sure they'd have time to shoot the ball between all their bitching.

I think we are on a similar course to what the pacers took in building their team but we are by no means close to them. If we won 1 game against the pacers in the play offs I'd consider it a fantastic season. But to take them to 7 games just isn't going to happen.

UNLESS, George and Hibbert go down, in which case maybe we'd win an extra game.

Miami will be in trouble this post-season if Dwyane Wade misses some time.
Battier, Bosh, Birdman, and Beasley can hold up the frontcourt without James
but a backcourt of Chalmers, Ancient Ray Allen, Noris Cole and Toney Douglas will struggle defending anybody.

LeBron is by far the best player on the team, but not the most valuable.

I would say that without lebron we would put up a good fight, but with all their playoff & championship experience, I think that the only way we would beat them is if lebron and either bosh or wade were out.

You think a team with 2 sophomores in the starting line up and a bunch of guys that have never been to the play offs stand a chance against the Pacers?! Are you kidding me?

Just look at how the raptors bitch and complain about calls now, in the playoffs against the pacers I'm not sure they'd have time to shoot the ball between all their bitching.

I think we are on a similar course to what the pacers took in building their team but we are by no means close to them. If we won 1 game against the pacers in the play offs I'd consider it a fantastic season. But to take them to 7 games just isn't going to happen.

UNLESS, George and Hibbert go down, in which case maybe we'd win an extra game.

You're probably right about this. Our ace in the hole, though, is Lowry. He plays with enough I-don't-give-a-f***ness for the entire team to latch onto. I think he could will us to two wins against the Pacers.

I think it's a mistake to even consider the second round when we're looking at a VERY challenging first round. Regardless of who we end up facing (Chicago, Brooklyn, Washington, Charlotte) we are in for a grueling 6- or 7-game slugfest that we may not even win. I outright don't think we can win a series against either Chicago or Charlotte. Questions about the 2nd round, let alone the ECF, are incredibly premature.

I definitely agree with the sentiment that we'd do better against Indiana than Miami; I think we could take Indiana to 6 or 7, while Miami would probably be 5 or 6. Even 4. That said, the great unknown about this team is how they'll play over a 7 game series. For that matter, will Casey be able to really exert his defensive expertise over a 7 game series and shut down key opponents? I do feel like we're at the minimum, one backup center away from having even a remote shot at knocking off either of those top two.

This right here is key.

We know Toronto can beat Brooklyn and Washington and Atlanta on a Wednesday night in February, but we have no idea if they can beat them 4 times in a series where that's all they preparing for. When a team has a specific gameplan for you it's tougher to come back from 15 down at halftime.